NXT Lakeland 7-6-17

Written by Wayne Mason

Last night NXT started its weekend loop before a packed house at The National Guard Armory in Lakeland, FL. Fans were treated to a meet and greet of Liv Morgan, Buddy Murphy, and Ho Ho Lun before a night of hard hitting wrestling action.

The night kicked off with Roderick Strong taking on Adrian Jaoude. The match started with some back and forth grappling, with both men looking impressive. The more experienced Strong took control for much of the match with intermittent offense from Jaoude, who briefly worked the leg of Strong, before a fiery Roddy came back for the finish.  This was a solid opening contest, as Roderick Strong is always a wise choice to get the crowd fired up. Adrian Jaoude continues to impress me, with top notch grappling and realistic strikes he looked right at home with his veteran competitor. 

Next up, Lacey Evans took on the newcomer Taynara Conti. There were some rough spots early on, but those were forgotten as the match went on with Evans working most of the contest underneath. Ultimately though, the lady of NXT Lacey Evans would make a comeback and tap out Conti with an armbar. Taynara worked better once the pace slowed, mixing some limb work with a few nice looking judo throws. With a very expressive face, Conti sold both her offense and defense well, while displaying a believable mean streak. Lacey Evans has gotten really good in a short amount of time, and fans on the Florida loop have taken notice, as she has become a big fan favorite. Looking forward to seeing both of these women shine in the Mae Young Classic. 

In tag team action The Ealys took on Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford aka The Street Profits. The match begins with shenanigans and laughs, as one can expect with Ford and Dawkins. The two controlled the pace in the early goings until The Ealys took advantage with a cheap shot. The Ealys controlled the rest of the match punishing Montez until he managed to make the hot tag. Dawkins cleared the ring and layed out one of the Ealy Brothers, allowing Ford to finish with a frog splash for the win. The Ealy Twins are two big and capable athletes who definitely have a place in WWE, once they find that something to give them a connection to the crowd they will do fine. On the other hand, The Street Profits are very over, very fun, and are about as tv ready as you can get, I'd go as far as saying the NXT tag division needs them right now. 

The evening kept rolling with the monstrous Lars Sullivan taking on Marcel Barthel (formerly Axel Dieter Jr). The match began with Barthel making several unsuccessful attempts at taking down Sullivan. The much larger Sullivan would simply swat Marcel away or run him down like a freight train. Eventually, Barthel sees an opening, attacking the knee of Lars Sullivan. Ultimately, the big man would comeback though, planting  Barthel in the ring with a huge side slam for the win. Lars Sullivan continues to get over with the crowds here. I'm glad to have Marcel Barthel here in NXT, I'm looking forward to seeing him in a more evenly contested match. 

Next up was Kona Reeves taking on Aleister Black. The match was mostly all Aleister, who started off very strong. Reeves took over briefly after a cheap shot, but it was short lived as Black came back with his trademark flurry of sick strikes. Finally, he picks the limp body of Reeves off the mat to finish with his devastating Black Mass. Besides an impressive arsenal of strikes, Black has such a presence and charisma, he could put on a good match with anyone. The NXT fans have taken notice, and he could easily be top guy right now. Kona Reeves has been in the system for a while now, and is still looking for that gimmick that will give him a connection to the crowds. Once he does I believe he will do well, he has all the tools and a WWE look that will serve him well.

credit: @gravenbabies

After a short intermission, we continued with tag action as Heavy Machinery took on the new formed team of Steve Cutler and Wesley Blake. With a standard tag formula on display here, Heavy Machinery stayed on step ahead of the bad guys for much of the early goings until a distraction allowed them to turn the tide. Employing frequent tags, Blake and Cutler worked over Otis for most of the match until he made the hot tag to Tucker Knight, allowing for a quick turn around and a double team finish. I dig Blake and Cutler as a team, the two have gelled together rather well in a short time.

In our second women's match of the night, Mae Young Classic competitor Bianca BelAir took on Liv Morgan. This was a fun back and forth match that saw a lot of offense from both women. Liv Morgan is looking better with every outing these days, but after a hard fought match she would find her self on the recieving end of a mean spear giving BelAir the victory. Bianca is another PC standout who has picked up the business fairly quick, and regardless of how far she makes it in the upcoming women's tournament, one gets the impression she is being groomed for big things.

In one of those head scratcher of a main events, The Velveteen Dream and Dan Matha took on No Way Jose and Drew McIntyre. Despite the weirdness, this was a really good match, and easily the most fun of the night. After the opening moments of the match, the latter half had Dream and Matha working over Jose until he finally made the hot tag to McIntyre. Ultimately Drew would level The Velveteen Dream with his Claymore kick for the win. Love him or hate him, Patrick Clark absolutely owns it as The Velveteen Dream, and it's difficult to not be entertained in some capacity by him... it's been awhile since we've seen someone this androgynous in the WWE. However, it was McIntyre who was the star of the match, obviously, and it feels huge having the Scot here in NXT. How long before he is wearing the big belt?

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NXT Ocala 6-2-17

Written by Wayne Mason

Photos by Gravenbabies

Friday night NXT returned to Ocala, Fl for another night of wrestling action. The Reserve Pavillion at The Hilton is essentially a large tent. The outside venue was made that much more thrilling by the large Florida storm system that was moving through the area bringing much rain and wind, flooding the floors (cords and electrical equipment too) with sheets of rain that interns would be sweeping away all night. Despite the wetness, humidity, and technical difficulties the show indeed went on.

The Ealy Twins vs Street Prophets (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford)

This was a solid opening match that saw The Prophets working from underneath for most the match despite a strong opening. The Ealy Twins are two big intimidating guys who fit into this new tag team division developing in NXT which seems to be centered around larger guys. They’re still looking for that connection with the crowd but definitely have the tools to get there. Alternately, Dawkins and Ford are extremely over right now and are quickly becoming favorites of the tag division. Ford is overflowing with charisma, and is just as entertaining on the ring apron or in the ring. After a hard fought match, Crawford got the win for his team with a frog splash from the top rope.

Sawyer Fulton vs Babatunde Aiyegbusi 

Far from a technical match, with lots of brawling and big guy power moves this was your hoss fight of the night. However, even Fulton who is no small guy, looked small next to the 6’9” Babs. In the end, Babs looked to have it won but an eye rake was enough of a distraction for Fulton to hoist Babs up for a vertical suplex for the win. It will be interesting to see where Fulton fits in going forward after finally getting over with Sanity.

Mary Kate (Amazon Andrea) vs Sarah Logan

Prior to the match Logan was announced by her real name Sarah Bridges, but I’m assuming that was just a mistake. Whatever you call the former Crazy Mary Dobson, she seems to really be hitting her stride and becoming comfortable in a WWE ring. She played underdog to the very dominant Mary Kate in what was one of the better matches of the evening. Logan made an impressive comeback though, nailing Mary Kate with a vicious running knee and series of strikes in the process. In the end though Mary Kate finished Logan off with a mean looking Black Hole Slam. This was a great showing for both women, and it was a big relief seeing Mary Kate back in the ring after a few weeks of being Lana’s muscle.

As tradition dictates in Ocala, wrestling legend Dory Funk came to ring for an interview but was interrupted by his former student Wesley Blake, along with Steve Cutler. Blake claims he was the best thing to ever come out of Funks wrestling school, and challenges Funk to a fight right there. Roderick Strong comes out to make the save, telling them he’ll give them a fight. Cutler agrees, but says they fight in the main event!

Only Lorcan vs Jeet Rama 

This was a standard back and forth match that saw One Lorcan take the win with his somersault neckbreaker. Lorcan is easily one of the best in NXT, and can put on a good match with just about anyone.

Andrade Cien Almas vs Buddy Murphy

The match started off slow with each competitor feeling each other out, plus some posturing and “tranquilo” posing. The match quickly evolved into a fast paced, back and forth hard hitting affair with each men hitting a lot of their trademark spots. Finally, after a mean super kick, Murphy landed double knees off the top rope onto Almas for the win. This was easily match of the night. Andrade, who already had an impressive resume before NXT, has hit his stride as a heel and can work the crowd just about better than anyone else, using body language and expressions alone. Buddy Murphy is absolutely explosive , with the proper push be could easily be a main event player.

Lars Sullivan vs Kona Reeves

This was standard fare with Lars ultimately defeating Reeves. Sullivan seems to be getting over fairly well with the crowds on the Florida loop.

Ruby Riot vs Sonya Deville

This match saw fan favorite Ruby Riot as underdog most of the match, while Deville looked dominant with an array of strikes. Ultimately, Riot would make an impressive comeback for the win. This was another stand out of the night. Ruby Riot has gotten over with the NXT crowds in a big way very fast. 

Roderick Strong and No Way Jose vs Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler

The match started with many shenanigans, as one would imagine with the animated Jose. After a rough start Blake and Cutler take over working over Strong. Finally, Strong makes a hot tag to Jose who looked to be turning around. However, thanks to a distraction Blake nailed Jose with a backstabber, and got the pin with the assistance of the foot on the ropes. Dory Funk (who had accompanied the good guys to the ring) told the ref, who restarted the match. Eventually, Jose makes a hot tag to Roddy who comes in a cleans house. Roddy hits Blake with his finisher for the win. Afterwards, the two celebrate in the ring with Funk. Jose wears Funks hat while all three men dance in the ring to send the crowd home happy. Ladies and gentleman, professional wrestling in 2017. 

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NXT Tampa 12-17-16

NXT finished its weekend loop by returning to its home away from home, the UACDC Gymnasium in Tampa. Outside of Orlando, this gym probably pulls in the largest amount of ardent NXT fans. This Saturday night would be no different as fans piled in the last Florida NXT show of 2016. By nature, these house shows at Christmas are delightfully weird, with odd booking and seemingly thrown together matches. With much of the roster touring or heading home for Christmas, it is often an all hands on deck skeleton crew.

Steve Cutler vs Adrian Jaoude

The night opened up with former marine Steve Cutler taking on with the Brazilian Adrian Jaoude. This opener started with Cutler dictating the pace by avoiding the Jaoude, eliciting a chicken chant from the crowd. The action begins with lots of arm drags and arm bars in the favor of the Brazilian Jaoude. Eventually, Cutler takes control after a cheap shot. He punishes Jaoude with a slow-paced offense culminating in a mean lariat and a painful looking double stomp. Adrian Jaoude would soon make a comeback showing off his aikido background with an impressive flurry of strikes before tossing Cutler with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Adrian Jaoude then defeated Steve Cutler with a fisherman’s suplex. This was a good opener. I like Cutler as a heel, I say give him a house show push and see what happens. Adrian Jaoude’s amateur background is obvious, and impressive… all the man needs is a connection with the crowd.

Nikki Cross vs Macey

Macey started with a surprisingly strong offense. Cross rethought her strategy and attacked only for Macey to thwart her again. Some of Macey’s offense is still worrisome to me, but she did do a nice 619 spot around the ring post. Much to my chagrin, it was an unusually one-side match. Finally, thanks to a distraction from Eric Young, Nikki took control and defeated Macey with a beautiful and brutal looking fisherman’s neckbreaker. Like I reiterate every blog post and to everyone that will listen, Nikki Cross is a gem of the women’s division, her body of work speaks for its self. Macey has a lot of potential but is getting pushed way too fast.

Kona Reeves vs Gran Metallik

This match had much of the high flying and impressive ringwork you have come to expect from Metallik. However, there were several blown spots too due to Kona having a hard time keeping pace with the speedy luchador. When the pace slowed, Reeves did fine grounding Metallik. After a back and forth battle Gran Metallik countered a fireman’s carry into a DDT for the win. I really enjoy Gran Metallik, he is easily going to be a major player in the cruiserweight division. Kona Reeves has the tools to go far, just a matter of honing them and finding a gimmick that works with the crowd.

Next, Kayla came out to interview Dan Matha. He’s in a bad mood and says all everyone is talking about is Roderick Strong. He makes fun of Strong’s size and the fact it took him so many years to make it to NXT. He claims that when he walked in they took one look at him and exclaimed “Your hired!” It didn’t take long for Roderick Strong to come out where they exchanged words before calling out a ref to make it official.

Roderick Strong vs Dan Matha

This match was your standard David and Goliath battle, with Strong much of the match unsuccessfully trying to control the much bigger Matha. Early on Strong did find an opening with a flurry of offense, but Matha caught him on an outside dive and drove him into the ringpost setting the pace for the rest of the match. Matha kept Roderick grounded for the most part, shutting down Strong’s comebacks with some hard punches or a big boot. Finally, Roddy makes a last attempt at a comeback, rocking Matha with a high knee in the corner, and ultimately finishing him with a single leg dropkick for the win. Roderick Strong is such an asset to NXT, in a few short weeks he has put on some of the most memorable house show matches of the year. This wasn’t one of them, but then again not every match can be a dream match. One of the reasons NXT works is because of established starts working with rookie talents. At 6’7” and 290lbs Dan Matha is eye catching and moves well for a big man. He’s also strong and confident on the mic. With all that said, I believe he is still very much a work in progress though.

The Authors Of Pain vs Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford

Dawkins and Ford are really melding well as a team, and it showed tonight. They came out and immediately took the fight to the Authors with a flurry of offense that included a beautiful running shooting star press from Ford. This match wasn’t as one sided as one would guess, and had a lot of back and forth. However, in the finishing melee Ford was tossed high over the top rope to the outside leaving Dawkins alone to suffer the Authors double team finish. I’m just going to say it, I’m not a fan of the Authors Of Pain… like it says in the bio, I am no critic… that’s just my personal opinion. Dawkins and Ford on the other hand are great together. Angelo Dawkins has been in developmental for a while, but Ford is bringing out something in him. It reminds me of when Jason Jordan was in the system forever, missing that something, until he was matched up with Chad Gable. Dawkins and Ford are going to get over, guaranteed.

Mandy Rose vs Daria Berenato

I’ve seen these two compete… a lot. However, the two have a lot of chemistry and it shows. Daria started off strong with some nice MMA striking, but Mandy would come back and dominate with some nice limb work. Rose worked the leg consistently through the match with several moves and holds including a nice looking dragonscrew leg whip. Daria also sold the legwork like a champ. However, Daria would make a comeback and finish Rose with a huge spinebuster for the win. I’m becoming more of a Daria Berenato fan with every match.

Sanity (Wolfe & Damo) vs Heavy Machinery

I like both of these teams a great deal, but again, I feel like this is something I have seen quite a few times. Nonetheless, this was a fun battle between four really big dudes. Unfortunately, Nikki Cross got ejected from ringside early on (watching her shenanigans at ringside great), but this still left Eric Young at ringside. Young was excellent at ringside throughout the match, verbally tearing apart the crowd while interjecting himself in the match. The highlight of the match may have been the stalemate between two hosses, Big Damo and Otis. The two ran the ropes and collided several times before Otis miraculously toppled Damo. This was a fun back and forth match with several false finishes until Sanity finally got a double team finish on Tucker Knight for the win. I’m a fan of all parties involved here. As the Sanity act continues, they continue to meld together greatly. Alexander Wolfe has went from showing glimmers of potential to being absolutely fantastic just on demeanor alone. Big Damo impresses the hell out of me… big, fast, intimidating man… an absolute beast.

Well, that’s a wrap on the NXT Florida Loop 2016. Whether I’m rooting for you or booing you, thanks to all the talent that make all of my weekends so memorable. I can’t wait to see where the new year takes all these guys.

Happy Holidays to all my readers, and be sure to check back on the 29th for a recap of Pro Wrestling 2.0 which has already confirmed Shane Strickland, Martin Stone, "Deathproof" Aaron Epic, and The Tokyo Monster Kahagas.

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NXT Citrus Springs 12-16-16

One of the best parts of the three years I’ve been frequenting NXT shows, besides the wrestling, has been having an excuse to drive all over the state. From metropolitan areas to rural nowhere towns, I’ve seen many places I never would have seen via the highways and backroads of Florida. One of those rural spots is Citrus Springs, a sleepy town somewhere in between Crystal River and Ocala. Driving the wooded back roads past “Bear Crossing” signs, you’d swear you were more likely to find a sasquatch out here rather than world-class international wrestlers. As the sun begins to set and your cell phone signal wanes you begin to feel hopelessly lost, but suddenly you see a gorgeous community center smack dab in the middle of nowhere.

The brand has cooled considerably on the Florida loop in recent months, call-ups and near constant touring for the marquee stars have caused a huge drop off in the casual fan base, and NXT looks a lot more like it did when I first started going. However, Friday night had a great turn out thanks to a last minute surge in ticket sales. I’m glad to see it because the arrival of the cruiserweights and several other fresh faces have reinvigorated the brand; I haven’t seen anything I’d categorize as a “B” show in a very long time. This show would be no different.

Jack Gallagher vs Noam Dar

I can’t think of many better ways to start a show than with than these two charismatic cruiserweights. When most people think of cruiserweights they think of flying and flips, but these two show that they can put on a ground game and be every bit as entertaining. Noam and Jackie boy put on a grappling clinic that went back and forth. Gallagher paid homage to Johnny Saint with the spot where he rolls into a ball, much to the chagrin of Dar. Both men came out of this match looking really good and it could have went either way, but Jack Gallagher got the win with a backslide pin.

Lince Dorado vs Brennan Williams

The opening of this match saw the underdog Dorado trying to find a way to compete with a much larger opponent. Dorado attempts a few dropkicks only to be swatted away like a fly. An attempted springboard didn’t do any better, as Williams just caught him with ease. Thus went most of the match, with Williams punishing the luchador. I’ve only seen Williams a handful of times, but I see a lot of potential. He’s a big, intimidating dude that showed some really impressive striking. He controlled much of the match, but after a few superkicks and a spinning heel kick Dorado would drop the big man. Then Lince Dorado would defeat Brennan Williams with a shooting star press for the win.

Next, ring announcer Kayla Braxton came out to interview the tag team of Angelo Dawkins and Kenneth Crawford. Crawford is now going by the name Montez Ford. They gave a short interview that really didn’t go anywhere, and culminated with them dancing around in the ring until Sanity came out to crash the party, setting up our main event of the night.

Mandy Rose vs Macey

This one was a textbook back and forth battle, and I’ll be honest, it was a lot better than I thought it would be considering there was no ring general here. Macey misses her strikes by a mile and her bodyslams are worrisome, but for no more matches than she’s had, she’s doing okay. And while Mandy has a lot of room to grow, she is at least as good as a Carmella or Nikki Bella. Mandy Rose defeated Macey with a facebuster.

Roderick Strong vs TJ Perkins

This was easily match of the night. Strong and Perkins started it slow, feeling each other out before the match would build into a frenetic crescendo. This was another one with a lot of grappling and submission spots from both competitors. Eventually, the pace quickened and we saw some signature strikes and a high knee from Roddy. TJP would later drop Strong with a dropkick to the knee and then a roll-up into a knee bar for the win. I can’t do this one justice, but if you are reading you probably know enough about both guys to know it was great. I’ve been a fan of Roderick Strong for a while and he has delivered some of the best house show matches I’ve seen this year in a few short weeks. TJ Perkins, I give him a lot of crap for his dabbing (and well, to annoy my teenage daughter) but honestly, he is impressive as hell, and is constantly raising the bar.

The Authors Of Pain vs Heavy Machinery

If you are a fan of a big old hoss battle, you would have enjoyed the hell out of this match… but I feel like I’ve seen this one too many times. I dig Heavy Machinery, I’ve been behind Tucker Knight through several gimmick changes, and Otis has “it”. I’ll say this about the Authors Of Pain, they really do come off as dangerous and destructive. When they hit the ring you really feel as if someone is going to legitimately get hurt, probably because we’ve actually seen it happen. After a hard fought, hard-hitting battle, the Authors Of Pain defeated Heavy Machinery after a double team to Otis.

Nikki Cross vs Daria Berenato

Nikki Cross is amazing, and she has embraced the Sanity gimmick with fervor. Meanwhile, Daria is at this point the standout alumni of Tough Enough. Together they put together another standout match of the evening. Daria started out strong with her speed and quick strikes, but thanks to a distraction from Alexander Wolfe, Cross was able to take control of the match and punish Daria for the remainder. Berenato made a strong comeback, but thanks to yet another distraction, Cross took advantage and defeated Daria with a swinging fishermans neckbreaker. I enjoyed this match a lot, Daria is improving at an exponential pace, and Nikki Cross… well, I can’t wait to see her with a belt around her waist.

Sanity (Eric Young & Big Damo) vs Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford

This was a fun, albeit odd main event. Most of the match was very much a back and forth battle… until Big Damo tagged in, The Beast from Belfast is a mountain of a man that moves way too fast for someone his size (imagining Damo vs Strowman) and he dominated the match when he was in the ring. All the while, Wolfe and Nikki were great outside the ring being crazy and yelling at the crowd. Nikki Cross being antagonized by three little boys in the front row before yelling at them that Santa wasn’t bringing them presents may have been the highlight of the night. Kenneth Crawford, aka Montez Ford is a standout with a sweet running shooting star. Ford came in on the hot tag and cleared house until yet another distraction allowed Cross to pepper spray him in the face. Eric Young took advantage with a dirty pin for the win. Afterwards, Sanity began a post-match beat down, but Dawkins and Ford turned it around and sent Sanity packing to send the crowd home happy.

NXT is on a roll, and it finally seems as if they have achieved a nice balance between their touring shows and Florida loop. So whether you catch them in Australia or Citrus Springs, you are going to get a fun night of professional wrestling!

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NXT St Petersburg 12-8-16

Dedicated to the memory of

Todd Garzon. NXT Head Of Security

Rest In Peace

Before NXT became a huge international machine that it is, you used to hear the term “NXT Family” thrown around quite a bit. It was an appropriate term to describe the rag tag group of regulars who came to know each other at these small intimate shows, and the relationships we formed with staff and the wrestlers too. As head of security, Todd was at the center of all of it and central to so many peoples NXT memories. He loved his job. He took his position very seriously, exercising authority when necessary. However, he loved the fans too and treated everyone like a friend. His favorite part of the job was watching kids’ faces light up when they watched the magic of wrestling unfold. My heart goes out to his family.

Thursday night the NXT Florida loop made an inaugural stop at the National Guard Armory in St Pete. With the touring roster still making towns across the globe, the cruiserweights and several new names stepped up to carry the NXT banner. In fact, I almost hesitate to call shows “A” shows or “B” shows anymore. The caliber of the roster is too great for that… in fact, these “B” shows are actually refreshing, new, and in some ways better.

Jack Gallagher vs Steve Cutler

With a unique blend of technical prowess and comedic elements, Gallagher is a great way to kick off a show. Jackie Boy showed off his grappling skills, and made sure to hit his signature spots including the headstand on the turnbuckle and tying a frustrated Cutler into a pretzel, much to the amusement of the crowd. Gallagher has charisma in spades. Steve Cutler has been in the system down here for a while, and I say give him a push (at house shows, anyway) and see what happens. Steve seems to have found some confidence since playing heel, he does well trash talking and bantering with the crowd. However, it wouldn’t help him here; Jack Gallagher defeated Steve Cutler by pinfall after a huge running corner dropkick

Lana vs Sarah Bridges

The ravishing Russian returned to the Florida loop for the weekend in… well, an interesting way. Lana danced her way into the ring like a party girl to horrendous dance music, dressed ala the Ziggler storyline. Lana comes off as enthusiastic and likeable, but the skill level just isn’t there. Even the very competent Bridges seemed to have trouble gauging Lana’s stop/start timing and dictate the flow of the match. The last time Lana came down here she was protected in tag matches and she came out looking much better, that’s the formula they need to stick to for now if they insist on moving forward with Lana as an in-ring performer. In the end though, Lana defeated Sarah Bridges with a sit-out slam

Tian Bing vs Kona Reeves

Kona Reeves (formerly Noah Kekoa) played the heel in this match, mocking Bing with martial arts chops and a crane kick ala the Karate Kid. The cocky Reeves dominated much of the match before Tian Bing soundly beat him with a flurry of kicks and strikes. Bing finished off Kona with a superkick for the win. I really like the ring style of Tian Bing, the man has it, and he just needs to make that connection with the crowd. Kona Reeves has all the tools, and a look that will probably suit him well down the line.

Cruiserweight champion Rich Swann is out next for an interview with Kayla Braxton. He briefly mentions his rough past, stating that his belt proves that no matter what, you can do anything. The massive Dan Matha comes out to interrupt; he is met with “Mr. Clean” chants. He mocks the champion. Undeterred, Swann tells him that with courage and heart he can get the job done no matter what. Matha tells him that we’ll find out about that later.

Noam Dar vs Gran Metallik

This was a fun match between two cruiserweight standouts. Noam Dar wisely played a ground game, working the arm of Metallik for most of the match. However, the luchador is about impossible to keep down. Gran Metallik mounted a comeback in the end culminating in a superkick and a Metallik Driver for the win. Both of these guys are so much fun. The young and cocky Dar has such a ring presence, while Metallik may finally be the luchador the WWE has been looking for.

Tommy End vs Roderick Strong

The match of the night was also easily the hardest hitting, as neither man is known for kids gloves. Strong’s strikes reverberated throughout the armory, while End exhibited one of the most impressive flurry of kicks I have seen in a long time. This was a brutal, fast paced, back and forth match that seemed it could go either way at times. Towards the finish, End nearly destroys Roddy with a crazy flurry of kicks and strikes. He stops to trash talk and is met with a sickening high knee, followed by a single leg dropkick that gave Roderick Strong the win. I’m a huge fan of both wrestlers. I was very familiar with Roderick Strong before NXT, but had only seen a handful of Tommy End matches… I feel compelled to go and find them all now, and so should you.

Daria Berenato vs Mandy Rose

Despite the fact that they are both rookies, these two women have a great chemistry together. This was a decent textbook wrestling match. Mandy Rose, who seemed to be on the fast track for a while, appears to be struggling to find her place again. One can’t deny she is green, but considering how long she has been wrestling, she’s progressing fine. Daria, on the other hand, has MMA experience and a plethora of strikes/kicks to make her look pretty good in the ring. However, it wouldn’t help her this time, Mandy Rose defeated Daria Berenato with a facebuster.

Dan Matha vs Rich Swann

This very lopsided affair saw Rich Swann getting dismantled for ten minutes, with only brief attempts at offense. In the end, he nailed Matha with a trifecta of kicks for only a two count. Moments later, Matha charges the corner, Swann dodges, and Matha goes shoulder first into the ringpost. Rich Swann rolls him up for the win. It was a painful match to watch, but did well in demonstrating the never say die attitude Swann.

Heavy Machinery & Hoho Lun vs Sanity

Tucker Knight and Otis Bogojevic dominated the early going of this main event, along with a few brief tag-ins from partner Hoho Lun. Eric Young, Alexander Wolfe, along with Big Damo struggled to keep up with Heavy Machinery who kept one step ahead. The crowd popped for the inevitable clash of the massive Otis and Damo. But perhaps the crowd was most behind the underdog Lun, who came in with a strong flurry of offense. Thanks to a distraction from Nikki Cross, Sanity took over and began systematically taking apart the much smaller Hoho Lun. He eventually made the hot tag to Tucker who cleared the ring before chaos ensued like it so often does in these matches. In the end, Lun ended back in with another surprising bit of offense before Sanity nearly killed him with a double team for the win. Afterwards Sanity attempted to completely destroy Hoho, but Tucker and Otis made the save. The good guys celebrated, and the crowd went home happy.

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Full Sail TV Tapings 11-30-16

NXT fans once again converged on Full Sail for another round of television tapings. This round of tapings featured some new faces, Takeover fallout, and was a heavily DIY-centric round of tapings. The following recap contains spoilers for three episodes of NXT.

Before the evening began introduced Mike Rome introduced Tom Philips, Corey Graves, and the newest member of our NXT announce team, Percy Watson. From the sounds of the reaction, it appears plenty of fans remember the FCW/Season Two NXT star.

Dark Match: Wesley Blake vs Tian Bing

This was a short and evenly contested match. To his credit, Wesley Blake seemed to be a little more animated than he was the last time I saw him in Tampa, but still seems to be missing something. Tian Bing, on the other hand, is looking better and better with each outing. Bing is not a small guy, and he delivers speedy and believable looking strikes and kicks with a lot of power behind them. Bing definitely has the potential to do interesting things in NXT with the right booking. After a back and forth match, Blake missed a beautiful moonsault and made it to his knees to be met with a superkick from Tian Bing for the win.

Episode 1

Newly crowned tag champs Johnny Gargano and Tomasso Ciampa made their way out first to a huge pop from the crowd. DIY celebrated with the crowd making their way up and down the bleachers, before heading back to the ring. Before they could speak, they were already interrupted by Paul Ellering and the Authors Of Pain. They tell them that their celebration is premature, but before Ellering can elaborate much further he is interrupted by the Revival. Dawson says that they are here to claim their rightful spot as number one contenders. The Authors and Revival come face to face outside the ring, but the Revival wisely backs down. Ellering gets the last word, his Authors are going to be champions.

No Way Jose & Rich Swann vs Sanity (Eric Young & Alexander Wolfe w/ Nikki Cross)

The contagiously fun team of Jose and new cruiserweight champion, Rich Swann never fail to get the crowd pumped. Out next is the ominous Sanity; conspicuous in his absence was Sawyer Fulton. Eric Young was carrying a jacket with him, and it appeared to be Fulton’s. I’m sure it will be explained later with a backstage vignette. As more and more people are learning, Rich Swann is an amazing athlete, and perhaps the most charismatic performer in NXT. Unfortunately, after a strong start the size disadvantage would come into play. Sanity took control punishing the much smaller Swann. Wolfe has improved considerably in NXT, and the Sanity gimmick fits him well. I like Sanity a great deal, but for me Nikki Cross is what really makes this group. Nikki Cross is one of the most talented women in WWE/NXT. She has also embraced the crazy; her skulking around the ring yelling at fans and being weird is so much fun. I can’t wait to see her becoming more of a presence in the women’s division.

The fight spilled out of the ring and out of nowhere came Big Damo, leveling Jose. Eric Young took advantage rolling Jose back in the ring and nailing him with a modified neckbreaker for the pin.

Afterwards, an angry Damo heads up the ramp leaving Sanity looking confused as to what the big mans intentions were.

Kimber Lee vs Ember Moon

This was a really fun match, that actually saw Kimber Lee getting a fair amount of offense. However, in the end she was no match for the amazing Ember Moon. Ember finished off Kimber Lee with her top rope stunner for the win. Kimber Lee looked comfortable in a WWE ring, and I’m hoping we see her back next year for the women’s tournament. I’m enjoying the build of Ember Moon and can’t wait for the inevitable clash between her and Asuka. I’m not exaggerating when I say that match up has all the potential to be the greatest women’s Takeover match ever.

Otis & Tucker vs Johnny Knockout & Brandon Knight

Most people (including myself) remember Johnny Knockout best as the Braun Strowman jobber that liked big sweaty men. Unfortunately, for him and Brandon Knight, this match didn’t go much better than the Strowman squash. However, speaking of two big dudes, Otis and Tucker are two big powerhouses that are making more and more new fans with every match. This was a very short and one-sided match… but nonetheless Tucker and Otis are a fun team to watch.

Episode 2

This episode would feature four qualifying matches, where the winners of each match would be placed in a fatal four-way match to determine a new number one contender for the NXT title.

Ty Dillinger vs Eric Young

The first qualifying match would be a very short contest when Dillinger gained a DQ victory after Nikki Cross attacked. Afterwards, Dillinger thwarted an after match beatdown from Sanity… only to be attacked by Big Damo out of nowhere. Damo laid out Ty with a huge front slam followed by a senton. Another confusing stare down between Damo and Sanity followed.

No Way Jose vs Andrade Cien Almas

Jose is not the most impressive wrestler on the roster, but his energy is contagious, and he is showing a lot of improvement. Almas, on the other hand, has been absolutely great in his heel run. This was a good match defined not so much by moves, as much as the cocky and “tranquilo” attitude of Almas. What a good heel! Andrade Cien Almas won the match via pinfall after a hammerlock DDT.

Elias Sampson vs Roderick Strong

Sampson is out first with his usual banter and song, but I honestly couldn’t hear any of it, due to the nuclear heat from the crowd. This is probably one of the fastest paced Sampson matches I’ve seen, as opposed to his usual chinlock filled bouts. Unfortunately, he still doesn’t show the crowd much other than punches and kicks. Roderick Strong looks at home in an NXT ring, and here he carried Sampson through a good match. Roderick Strong finished Sampson with his gutbuster/single legged dropkick combo for the pin.

Oney Lorcan vs Bobby Roode

This was another very entertaining qualifying match, and even though I knew better, I found myself hoping for an upset victory. Lorcan gave Roode one hell of a fight, a fight that included some of the meanest uppercuts in all of the WWE. In the end, Roode managed to put Oney Lorcan away with a DDT. Bobby Roode has had a long and successful career, but one has to wonder if he would be this over in NXT without that damn catchy song… I really don’t think so, but he does make a damn good heel.

Sarah Bridges vs Peyton Royce

The former “Crazy Mary” started off the match with a fierce intensity… and yes, she is still crazy, letting out crazed yelps and dropping Peyton with a vicious running knee. Peyton managed to turn it around, slowing the pace and pinning Sarah with a fisherman’s suplex for a clean victory… despite Billie Kay at ringside. Peyton and Billie are both overdue for some sort of push, but I’m more excited to see what they do with Sarah Bridges.

Shinsuke Nakamura vs Patrick Clark

“The Velveteen Dream” Patrick Clark is out first looking more and more like Prince with the music to match. Then the place exploded for the charismatic King Of Strong Style Shinsuke Nakamura. Early in the match, Nakamura backed Clark into the ropes, doing his signature spot where he rests his head on his opponent and dangles limply. Clark answered by gyrating his hips in Shinsuke’s face, which fired up the former NXT champion. Not long after Nakamura would defeat Patrick Clark with a Kinshasa.

Episode 3

Daria vs Billie Kay

Daria started off really strong here and was possibly one of her best outings. She actually dominated Billie, until Peyton interfered. This was the only opening Billie needed, and she finished off Daria with a big boot for the win. Afterward, the mean girls took to the mic, again I couldn’t really hear much of what they had to say due to a raucous crowd. From what I gather they were sending a warning to the entire locker room… including women’s champ, Asuka.

The Authors Of Pain vs Johnny Vandal & Anthony Bowens

Our second squash match of the night was more of a massacre than anything else, with AOP absolutely decimating the competition. They finished with their double powerbomb spot, afterwards Rezar attempted to pick up Bowens for their finisher, but he crumpled and the referee called the match. Ellering cut a promo while medics attended to Bowens, who eventually made it out on his own two feet with help from the medics.

Number One Contenders Fatal Four Way

Dillinger vs Almas vs Strong vs Roode

Andrade started off really strong punishing Strong and keeping the other men out of the ring. It wouldn’t be long before all men were involved, and all the craziness you would expect in a near fall came along. All four men looked great in this match, that featured many great spots including the now mandatory four man suplex spot in the corner. Surprisingly, Almas was first eliminated after a one legged dropkick from Roddy. However, a few moments later Ty would eliminate Strong with a firemans carry neckbreaker. Ty and Roode immediately start trading punches, reinvigorated and fired up. Dillinger gets a real close count after a mean superkick, and then an even closer count after a firemans carry neckbreaker on Roode. It seemed Dillinger would finally get his shot, but after distracting the referee and dropping Ty onto an exposed turnbuckle, he finished with his DDT. Bobby Roode is the number one contender for the NXT title.

NXT Tag Title Match

DIY vs The Revival

You don’t need me to tell you that these two teams have amazing chemistry, and kill it every time they are in the ring together. In my opinion, The Revival are the best team on the planet right now, and DIY are easily in the top five. So it goes without saying that this was a match to send the crowd home happy. This was another great back and forth match that, of course, saw the good guys retain after nailing Scott Dawson with their finisher. Great match, and an altogether fun NXT tapings.

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